®Planning appeal decision
West Malling Golf Club, Trottiscliffe Road, Addington, West Malling, ME19 5AR
Planning appeal 3273606 at West Malling Golf Club, Trottiscliffe Road, Addington, West Malling, ME19 5AR (Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council) was dismissed on 8 March 2022 by Inspector Douglas L, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies.
outline planning application for the erection of 3 dwellings with all matters reserved apart from access
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Douglas L
- Postcode
- ME19 5AR
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies
- the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
- the effect of the proposal on protected species
- the effect of the proposal on designated open space
- if the proposal would constitute inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to allow the appeal
What decided it
The proposal constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt with no very special circumstances demonstrated to justify it, and Green Belt policy provides a clear reason for refusal under the tilted balance.
The tilted balance under NPPF paragraph 11 was applied due to the Council's inability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, but Green Belt policy provided a clear reason for refusing the development and the modest benefits of three Lifetime Homes did not amount to very special circumstances.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CP3Policy NE3Policy OS1
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 147Paragraph 149Paragraph 137Paragraph 138Paragraph 99Paragraph 11Paragraph 6.49
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Tonbridge and Malling
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2022
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- Dismissed24 March 20263374700Trench Farmhouse, Coldharbour Lane, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, TN11 9LE
- Dismissed3 March 20266002415The Lodge, 2 Yaldham Manor Drive, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 6FA
- Dismissed22 September 202533690315 Legge Lane, Birling, West Malling, Kent, ME19 5JH
The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.